Pintoh - Melbourne

This charming little casual restaurant is promoted as a Lao eatery (with a Lao flag on their sign), but it actually features more Thai dishes than Lao on the me... read more This charming little casual restaurant is promoted as a Lao eatery (with a Lao flag on their sign), but it actually features more Thai dishes than Lao on the menu. While this was a bit disappointing for me, they still offered some traditional Lao favorites such as chicken larb, papaya salad (made Lao-style), Kuvieng fried chicken, and sticky rice (albeit served in a bowl instead of a bamboo basket). I wished there were more Lao options on the menu, including vegetarian dishes. It would have been nice to see some jeow (dips) or different types of larb. We shared three appetizers, two entrees, and a salad with sticky rice among four people, and it was more than enough food. Most dishes were well-prepared and tasted authentic. The Beer Lao was cold and delicious. The service was decent, although our Korean waitress was friendly but lacking in knowledge about Lao cuisine. I would recommend this restaurant and suggest exploring beyond the usual Thai offerings to try the delightful Lao cuisine, which may encourage the owners to expand their Lao food selection as well!

We discovered this café through Trip Advisor and decided to give it a try based on its excellent reviews. We were not disappointed. Initially seated at a large... read more We discovered this café through Trip Advisor and decided to give it a try based on its excellent reviews. We were not disappointed. Initially seated at a large table near the window, we found it difficult to converse comfortably and opted to move to a booth halfway down the café, which proved to be a better choice. The staff was friendly, courteous, and helpful, and we enjoyed their sense of humor. Our appetizers, squid and dumplings, were generously portioned and came with delicious sauces. We ordered our main dishes one at a time to avoid mixing flavors and ensure they stayed hot. The massaman curry, made with slow-cooked beef cheek, was perfectly cooked and literally melted in our mouths. The pork belly had a bit too many Asian green stalks, but was still tasty, and the Pad Thai was exceptional, which is saying a lot as we are quite picky about this dish. The wine selection was decent, although we were unfamiliar with the brands, we can recommend the Miritu Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand. We found this café to offer good value for money and would definitely return.

My experience at this restaurant was mixed. We used a Scoopon voucher for $50 worth of food for only $25. The entrees we ordered, betel prawn and scallops, were... read more My experience at this restaurant was mixed. We used a Scoopon voucher for $50 worth of food for only $25. The entrees we ordered, betel prawn and scallops, were disappointing in terms of portion size - one prawn and one scallop on a slice of cucumber. Despite this, the Pad Thai and barramundi green curry fish we had for main courses were delicious and had reasonable portions. Overall, the food was great but I wouldn't pay full price for it as the menu is overpriced.

Love this place been 5/6 times through scoupon and without. Tasty fresh food with great service. Must visit while in CBD. Ripping value also. read more Love this place been 5/6 times through scoupon and without. Tasty fresh food with great service. Must visit while in CBD. Ripping value also.

Stayed at the Quest on Bourke, and this restaurant was two doors from there. We booked a table for 12 and chose the banquet @ $55 per head. The food was absolut... read more Stayed at the Quest on Bourke, and this restaurant was two doors from there. We booked a table for 12 and chose the banquet @ $55 per head. The food was absolutely delicious and plenty of it. As it got close to the end they were still bringing out food, we said no more, and they offered to change to dessert instead of the last two courses, but we decided to stay with the main meals as massaman curry was one of the last two dishes and this is my favourite. The staff were excellent. We were drinking 4 different wines and the waiter remembered exactly who was drinking what and filled the glasses accordingly. Will definitely be returning when next in Melbourne.